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Canadian Environmental Protection Act & BC Wildlife Act

Making a Pact to Enforce the Act

There are a number of Environmental Acts that you should be aware of when working as an Environmental Monitor. Two of the acts that are of particular importance are the Canadian Environmental Protection Act & BC Wildlife Act.

In 1999, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act was created to help address and regulate the issue of waste on the environment. This protection act has many statues that deal with many aspects of controlling chemicals and other harmful substances in the environment.

The inception of these acts has helped to drastically enhance the regulations around best management practices for industry when working on industrial planned projects in B.C. and Canada.

As you may have guessed, the B.C. Wildlife Act was created to protect… you got it – wildlife! This act covers 1,250 different types of species in B.C., with the definition of wildlife being categorized as any type of animal that has a backbone. This act basically states that it is illegal to harm, kill, trap or interfere with wildlife without some sort of authorization from the Federal or Provincial Government that is responsible for that particular kind of wildlife. Examples of conditions that may be built into an authorization that you may have to look after as an Environmental Monitor, may include trapping, hunting, destruction of habitat, firearms, and/or construction camps.

Did you know that there are approximately 168 species of wildlife in B.C. that are extinct, endangered or threatened? For this reason, the B.C. Wildlife Act also protects endangered species. Well actually, endangered species legislation, at the Federal and Provincial level is intended to give special protection above and beyond the wildlife legislation to species that are in danger of extinction, or are threatened with extinction. This is protected federally under SARA – the Species at Risk Act.